1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a hair braiding and hair weaving accessory for the braiding and weaving of commercial or artificial hair, more particularly, to a device and method which allows a hairstylist to place commercial or artificial hair on a stand, alleviating the need to either place the artificial hair on a counter, chair, over the hairstylist's shoulder or for an assistant to hold the hair while the hairstylist braids or weaves the artificial hair into the customers natural hair.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Today it is common for people to enhance their natural hair by artificial means. One method is to braid or weave commercial or artificial hair to a person's natural hair to give the person's hair a fuller or longer look. The commercial or artificial hair added to a person's natural hair may significantly change the appearance of that person. A person with very short hair may be given the appearance of having very long or thicker fuller hair when the commercial or artificial hair is inserted or added correctly.
The common procedure for braiding or weaving artificial hair to a person's natural hair is time consuming and may take anywhere from 2 to 10 hours to complete. The braiding or weaving of the commercial or artificial hair is performed by taking a small group of strands of the commercial or artificial hair from a pack of hair which is to be added to the customer's natural hair and then each small group is separately braided, interwoven, sewn in, fused or glued with a desired amount of the customer's natural hair in a small area of the customers scalp. A desired amount of strands of commercial or artificial hair is used in each group to give a more realistic appearance to the resulting combination of artificial and natural hair. Between 1 and 6 packs or bundles of commercial or artificial hair are typically used when lengthening or thickening a full head of hair.
During the braiding or weaving process, the entire pack of commercial or artificial hair must be kept clean, organized, controlled and untangled. The working area of a hairstylist does not allow for the placement of commercial or artificial hair where it will remain clean, organized, controlled and untangled. Currently, the only areas for placement of the commercial or artificial hair are the narrow counters at each hair styling station, a chair or over the hairstylist's shoulders. The counter is normally limited in space, covered with other hair styling products contaminated with spillage of the hairstyling products. The limitation in space on a counter, chair or hairstylist's shoulders forces the hairstylist to fold and tangle the artificial hair. This causes the commercial or artificial hair to become tangled, unorganized, uncontrolled and unsanitary. Once these conditions occur, the hair becomes unusable and must be discarded.
It is difficult, and at times impossible for the hairstylist braiding or weaving in the commercial or artificial hair to ones natural hair to hold the entire pack or bundle of commercial or artificial hair during the braiding or weaving process. Until the present invention, few options were available for holding the pack or bundle of commercial or artificial hair awaiting braiding or weaving. One option was for the hairstylist to have an assistant hold the bundle of commercial or artificial hair while the hairstylist braids or weaves a small group of commercial or artificial strands selected from the pack or bundle. This option has very obvious draw backs. Either the consumer or hair stylist will have to absorb the cost of having a person hold artificial hair for an extended period during braiding or weaving. Holding the pack or bundle is both tiring and stressful since the hair must be held in a manner which prevents the hair from touching the ground or becoming tangled. Another option is to have the customer hold the hair during the braiding or weaving procedure. This option is irritating and tiring to the customer.